368 THE GREEN-HOUSE [MAR. 



fresh, and in which may be intermixed a small pro* 

 portion of lime, chalk, or marl 



All the succulent tribes should be put into poor, 

 rubbish soil ; such as a mixture of road scrapings, 

 sandy earth, and lime-gravel. 



Green-house bulbs, as Amaryllis, Antholyza, Aga- 

 panthus, Crinum, Ixia, &c. thrive best in soil "thus 

 composed : one-third brown loam ; one-third moor 

 earth ; a sixth part vegetable mould of tree leaves ; 

 and a sixth part rough river sand, or very small gra- 

 vel. 



Of Pruning and Training Green-House Plants. 



Very little pruning is necessary for the generali- 

 ty of these plants, if they be properly treated ; and 

 if care be taken to turn them frequently round to- 

 wards the sun, in order to make them grow equal on 

 all sides : a matter of very much importance, espe- 

 cially in ill-constructed green-houses, such as have 

 only glasses in front, and these upright. But there 

 are individuals that naturally grow in a straggling 

 manner, which require to be trimmed, in order to 

 keep them within due bounds; and others that look 

 better, and also flower better, if kept down by occa- 

 sional heading, and by under-potting. 



Such of course should be trimmed ; but not in a 

 formal manner, as if sheared. Nor, unless they be 

 in a sickly state, should they be very much pruned 

 at a time. Sickly plants, from which it is desirable 

 to have a stock of new wood produced, may certain- 

 ly be cut close in, in order to make them shoot more 

 ireely. Their recovery and progress would be much 



